In many different applications and fields of technology, it is known to represent functions, operating assemblies, or installed components of a machine or apparatus by respective corresponding representational objects such as symbols or icons on a display panel or the like, and to enable the selection, control, and operation of the respective associated functions, operating assemblies and installed components of the machine or apparatus through the user's selection of the respective corresponding icons or representational objects. For example, a user can simply touch the desired icons or representations on a touch-sensitive display screen, or use a computer mouse and its correlated mouse cursor on the display screen, or use a data glove, joystick or the like to make selections in a similar manner on such a display screen or even in a three-dimensional, e.g. holographic or stereoscopic, display.
As an example, it is commonly known to select and command the functions of a computer, and particularly the functions of the operating system or application software of a computer, by selecting the respective icons or images corresponding to the desired functions with a mouse cursor on the display screen, or with a finger touch on a touch-sensitive display screen. As another example, it is known to provide images of switches or the like on a touch-sensitive display screen, which thus provides a touch interface, whereby touching the image or icon representing the desired switch on the touch interface screen carries out an actuation of the selected switch.
The hardware and the software for embodying and carrying out such a system and method are known and available in the art. For example, the hardware involves touch-sensitive display screens, as well as display screens of any type that are not touch-sensitive but operate in cooperation with a mouse, joystick, track ball or the like, and the image of a selection cursor provided on the screen. The hardware further involves any conventionally known computer or other processing circuitry for generating the icons or images representing the respective functions, operating assemblies and installed components on the display screen or panel, and for evaluating the touch-input signals or cursor position and mouse-input signals, for example, so as to then provide a control command to actuate the respective selected function, operating assembly, or installed component.
Conventionally, the icons, graphic images, or symbols displayed on the screen or the like have a one-to-one correlation with respective associated functions, operating assemblies, or installed components that can be selected and actuated thereby. Also, a single selection by means of touching the touch-sensitive screen, or by correspondingly locating the mouse cursor on the screen and “clicking” the mouse, achieves only a single selection of a single function, operating assembly, or installed component, corresponding to the single icon, graphic representation or symbol that was selected. Thus, when it is desired to select or operate a number of functions, operating assemblies, or installed components at once, or essentially at once, it is generally necessary to carry out a succession of a corresponding number of individual point-and-touch or point-and-click selections. In other words, the conventional touch interfaces or point-and-click interfaces provide only a single selection and activation capability.
Within certain software applications, it is also known to select or “block” a variably sized group or set of items, data, or the like. For example, it is typically known in word processor applications to select a variably sized block of text by “clicking and dragging” or the like with a mouse, to then further manipulate the selected block of text. Similarly, in spreadsheet programs, it is known to select variably sized groups of cells of data in the columns and rows of a spreadsheet, in order to further manipulate the selected group of data cells. This ability of selecting a variably sized group of text or data items has, however, heretofore not been provided in connection with the selection of icons, graphical images, or symbols representing functions, operating assemblies, and installed components of a machine or apparatus that are to be selected and activated as a group. Especially in the context of a touch interface provided by a touch-sensitive screen or the like, it has not previously been provided, to select a group of a greater number of represented objects through a smaller number of touches.